Racism And The American Criminal Justice System - 1584 Words

Today, African Americans and other minorities are over-represented in the criminal justice system, but under-represented politically in the United States of America. Since well before its inception in 1776, the United States of America has been a nation characterized by white supremacy. In fact, modern day America may not exist if not for the taking of land from the Indigenous Peoples on this very premise. Today, many Americans believe they live in a post-racial nation, citing the abolition of slavery in the 1860s. While racism has certainly been reduced in modern America, it is still ever-present in society, and more alarmingly, the criminal justice system. Today, the American criminal justice system acts as a front for state racism, imprisoning, disenfranchising, and disadvantaging minorities in shocking numbers. Colour-blind racists justify this as a cultural phenomenon rather than a flaw in the justice system. However, there is overwhelming evidence of a racial bias in the justice system. The infamous â€Å"War on Drugs† compounded the effects of this racial bias by instituting mandatory minimum sentences for minor drug offences. These sentences push what were formerly minor offences into the felony offence category. The legal system creates no less than three different patterns of inequality for convicted felons, of which a staggering number constitute racial minorities. Along with the obvious immediate consequences of imprisonment, felons are disenfranchised andShow MoreRelatedRacism : The Criminal Justice System1040 Words   |  5 PagesMr. Andrew Bagley PLS 213 American Federal Government-Online 25th November 2015 Racism in Our Criminal Justice System There are many different types of unlawful racism in the criminal justice system. It goes from back in the early part of our great nation’s birth to the killing of Martin Luther King Jr. to Ferguson, Missouri. 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The U.S contributes to about 5% of the worlds overall population, and about 25% of the worlds prison populationRead MoreThe Criminal Justice System : An Analysis Of Income And Racial Inequality Essay1586 Words   |  7 PagesRyan Williams English 102 Professor 6 May 2015 The Criminal Justice System: an Analysis of Income and Racial Inequality In the history of civilized communities, one finds that different structures and practices are relevant and necessary to uphold and maintain order within society—hence, the establishment of the criminal justice system. The criminal justice system, according to the Oxford Dictionaries (2010), is defined as â€Å"the system of law enforcement that is directly involved in apprehendingRead MoreThe Effects Of Race On America Today1429 Words   |  6 PagesRacial oppression and racism have been an issue seen throughout the history of the United States. During the 60’s the era of the Civil Rights movement Americans saw advances in racial equality. 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I willRead MoreDisparity and Discrimination Essay790 Words   |  4 PagesMany different situations occur within the criminal justice system. The situations that will be discussed in this essay are Pseudospeciation, bigotry vs. racism, hegemony, social construction, and disparity vs. discrimination. There will be definition on these terms. After defining the all terms, I will apply these terms to the criminal justice system using examples to illustrate the understanding of the definitions. Pseudospeciation Pseudospeciation begins with the fact that cultural differencesRead MoreRacial Injustice1340 Words   |  6 PagesTHE CRIES AGAINST RACIAL INJUSTICE Racism is a bad thing, you find it everywhere in the schools, the clubs and also in the streets. Ââ€" Rasmus Casper The belief that one race by nature stands superior to another defines racism. Racism can be traced back to the beginning of civilization and has always existed as a horrible issue in our society. Many attempts and reforms have occurred in hopes of eliminating racism and much progress has been achieved. Yet, even after the emancipation